Massaging device



`une 20, 1950 .1. H. Dol-:NGES

MASSAGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1947 HIS ATTORNEYS.

/lllIIlI/Illl. A

June 20,1950 J, H, DOENGES 2,512,093

MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN H. DOENGES at 9M,

HIS A TTORNEYS Patented June 20, 1950 I lasiaoeff MAssAorNG DEVICE e Y John H. Doenges, Clayton, Mo. vApplication september 29, 1947,I serial Ne. 776,758 4 4 claims. (o1. 12s-67) This invention relates to massagingfdevices andin its more specific aspects is directed to va device that will simulate an ideal hand massaging action. Y

The object of this invention is to provide Aa circular massaging device whose action simulates ideal manual massaging and in which radially disposed massaging velements are provided that are caused to reciprocate toward and away from the center of said device and which act during both directions of motion of the operating mas-r saging elements.

-In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device incorporating the invention;

with a portion of the casing broken away to show structural detail; y

Fig. 3 is a section view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectiony view taken substantially? along the line Ile-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the supporting plate for the device shown in Figs. 2-4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the parts shown in Figs. 2 4.

The invention is embodied in a device illustrated in the several views of the drawings in which numeral I designates a circular shaped casing for housing the operating parts of the device. The interior of the housing is provided with a centrally disposed longitudinally extended boss 2 to which a circular radially slotted plate 3, shown more particularly in Fig. 5, is secured by means of a screw 4. A pair of ears 5, 5 are formed on one side of the plate and a similar pair of ears are formed diametrically opposite thereto (Fig. 5). Pins 6, 6 are inserted through the ears and into extended portions Ia and Ib of the casing I in order to additionally support the plate 3. A roller 1 is rotatably mounted on each pin although only one such roller is illustrated.

Slidably mounted in each slot in the plate 3 is a shoe 9, in which the upper end of a pin IU is supported, there being one pin for each shoe on plate 3. A resilient or rubber ring 8 is disposed within the circle defined by the radially inward ends of shoe members 9 for urging them and associated pins I8 toward the outer extremities of the slots in plate 3 and toward the inner wall of casing I. A massaging assembly II is supported on the lower end of each pin in which each assembly comprises 'a suitable plate I2 to which is secured a massaging member I2 pro-` Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the device vided with a plurality of resilient fingers' I3 which may' be made of Arubber lora suitable plastic'andVV whose'lower ends are vpreferably semi-spherical in shape." A fixture I4 is secured'to the plate I2* that resiliently engages the rod I0' secured tothel lower end of lpin I0, the connection being in thesj` form of a hinge and permitting easy removal offf the massaging assembly' from and pivoting aboutl`v rod I8. vThe rod I0 is secured to the'lower end lof rod I0 and at a point midway-of the lengthl` ofrodl'.

Motion ofthe shoes 8 relative to thegcasingy I in the horizontal direction, as-viewed in Figs.y

1-3, is produced by means cfa pair of ringed' l,straps I6 and I'I. These strapsmove over rollersl 1 and are secured to similarly constructed 'flat' rings v-IB-and I9 one of said rings being shown in plan view in Fig. 6 'which are disposed one above the other Vand about pins-I8. The-rings?" also circumscribe the shoes 9 and t'in grooveslj in the outer'edges in the part of the shoes dis-T' posed 'above plate 3. y Each ringl has a'n-'ear formation thereon to whichone end of the straps is securedfsaid ear formationsbeing diametrically disposed and movable incasing'extens'ion's Ia andv Ib) The ear for ring I8 in extension 'Iq K is not shown.

substantially equal.

When straps I6 and I1 are simultaneously moved in a direction away from each other, shoes 9 are radially moved in the slots in plate 3 toward the center of the plate. The radial slots in the plate, cause the massaging elements to move radially with respect to the housing. The ring 8 returns the shoes and massaging elements to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 following each inward radial movement by the strap. The pressure between the iingers I3 and portion of the body contacted is varied at will be the person operating the device which depends upon the extent of the downward component of the force applied to straps I6 and I'I and the resilience of ring 8. All massaging devices may be moved simultaneously toward the center of the casing I when straps I6 and I1 are operated simultaneously and with an action simulating the most ideal manual massage movement but with a greatly accelerated rate because massaging action casing; a circular plate provided with a plurality takes place during both strokes of each complete of radial slots and supported in said casing; a reciprocatory movement. When each strap is plurality of massaging assemblies; a shoe slidalternately operated, only one-half of the mas-v ably mounted in each slot; means for securing saging elements will be moved although the other 5 one of said massaging assemblies to each shoe; half will also have some motion imparted thereto means operable on said shoe for radially sliding by reason of the resiliency of ring 8. The massaid assemblies toward one another; other means saging movements are radial toward and away operable on each shoe for radially sliding said from a given area rather than in a simple straight assemblies away from one another; and means line motion, thereby producing the most desirl0 for holding each assemblyrin'its radially outward able massagingV action. position.

The arrangement of the rings I8 and I9 is so l 3. A massaging device comprising a casing; a related to the rubber ring 8 that it will move* vplate provided with a plurality of radial slots and. the massaging elements outwardly when nofprese K supported in said casing; a shoe slidably mounted.

sure is applied to the massaging device between 1'5 in each slot; a massaging assembly for each it and the operators body. When thesefstrapsv1 shoe; means connected between each shoe and have force applied to them simultaneously away. each. massagingassembly for securing the masfrom the massaging device, allth'e elements will saging assembly to each of said shoes; a pair of be moved toward the center thereof, andwhen rings' circumscribing and acting on one end of the massaging device is applied to the body and 20 each of said shoes; means secured to said rings theappliedforcerisalso,toward thel body, .mast-A forsliding said rings: relative to eachother'1 for sagingaction will takeplace,V` If, the straps|' moving said shoes 'insaidplate'andthereby-slide anddl arel tensioned alternately, only one-half. ing-said massagefassemblies ltowardfone another; orf-1. thef massaging. elements, will be eective.v and a resilient ring acting on the other end of= Since body pressure must-berelievedfor permit- 25 each'ofsaid shoes-for sliding'said shoes'andesaid ting the-,ring 8-to restore the massaging elements massage assemblies away from `one `another.4 totheir outward position, it follows that they 4; A massaging device comprising acircularl massaging vdevice must` be Isuitably tilted during` casing; a circular plate'fprovided with a pluralityfalternatetensioning ofthestrapsfor permittingY of radial slots andlsupported in said casing; a". ring` to perform itsV function. 30 shoe radiallymounted in each slot in said Aplate:

During alternate strap Operation, there'. will amassaging assembly foreach-shoe; meanscon-c always bey a slightx motion of -the-'elements-,opnected between each shoe and each massaging as-s erated yby the` straps `nominally held at rest be- 1 sembly for pivotally connecting the massaging ascausesof the operators inability ',to hold it steady.V semblyto eachfofsaid-shoes ;V apair ofrrings in said The ringB .bears against shoes- 9 and,.regard1ess 35 casing oircumscribing said shoes andinV engage-r oflwhich strap vis tensioned, it Will always move mentwithone-endthereof;means operable on said One-half A0fy the Shoes outwardly; Whenever preS rings for -slidingsaidshoes and massaging:asser'n'iu sureibetween-the operators body and the device: blies in one direction in saidf'slots; and a'resilient"r is` relieved. The straps will'v always-move the.- ri-ngf operable on the other endfof said shoes for xnassagins elements '1 toward the center of ther@ radiauy sudably movingfsaid shoes and massag-ff device. and, therefore, there will always =be a de-,- inggassemblies in the oppositefdirection, formation of thefrubber ring 8,-,thus causingit JOHN H; DOENGlES.- to restore the. massaging elements to their -startn y ing'position whenbody pressure is irelieved. REFERENCES CITED- What I '01mm 1S: 45 The'follo'wingreferences ai'eof 'record in theA 1f. Asv massagingldevices comprising ancasingL me of this patent: having a cavity therein; a plate provided with A a,.plura1ity.of .radially extending slots vand sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS ported in said cavity; a massaging assembly slide Number Name Dates ably vmounted in each slot; meanslfor sliding each` 53 203,571 Whiton v May l14, 1878:- of said massaging vassemblies toward one another; 803,708 Patchen-n Nov. 7, 1905# othen means for slidingsaid. massaging assemblies 1,420,049 Mashek June 20,1922:` avvayrfromy each other; and means forI 'holding-z, 1,577,751 Pascha11 Mar. 23, 19261,-I eachi assembly in` its radially ,outwardqpositionf- 1,711,889 Hassler l May ,-7, 19291:

2;,AV massaging. device comprisinga circular 555, 

